Fencing system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a fencing system for enclosing an outdoor seating or assembly area comprising a plurality of posts ( 2 ) and awning support bars ( 3 ), each bar ( 3 ) extending between a pair of said posts ( 2 ) when the system is erect, the posts ( 2 ) and bars ( 3 ) including co-operating means ( 10,14,15 ) thereon for releasable attachment of the bars ( 3 ) to the posts ( 2 ), and an awning ( 4 ) hanging from each support bar ( 3 ) between said posts ( 2 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to a windbreak or fencing systemprimarily used for enclosing an open space on the forecourt or in thevicinity of a restaurant or shop but which can also be used to encloseany outdoor seating or assembly area.

[0002] It has become popular for restaurants, bars and cafes to allowtheir patrons to eat and drink outside their premises and they oftenplace tables on the pavement or forecourt for this purpose. This isbeneficial for the establishment as they increase the number of patronsthey can accommodate at the same time. Furthermore, people generallyprefer to remain outside during the summer months and are more likely touse a restaurant or bar when they can do so. Many restaurants or cafesplace a fence or barrier around their outside area to contain customerswithin a designated space. This is often important as the establishmentmay only have planning permission or licence to use a specified area infront of the restaurant and so it is necessary to prevent patrons frommoving outside it and potentially blocking a public right of way thatmight lead to forfeiture of their licence.

[0003] Various screen or fencing systems for enclosing a space outside arestaurant, bar or shop are known. However, they suffer from a number ofdrawbacks because they are not easy to erect and take up a considerableamount of space when not in use. Furthermore, their use is generallyrestricted to areas that are substantially flat so they cannot be usedon undulating, sloped or stepped forecourts. Many of them also havelimited degrees of movement making them inflexible and prohibiting theiruse when the area to be enclosed is of an irregular shape.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a systemwhich overcomes or substantially alleviates the problems discussed aboveand seeks to provide a flexible and easy to erect fencing system whichis easy to erect, disassemble and store on a daily basis.

[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a fencingsystem for enclosing an outdoor seating or assembly area comprising aplurality of posts and awning support bars, each bar extending between apair of said posts when the system is erect, the posts and barsincluding co-operating means thereon for releasable attachment of thebars to the posts, and an awning hanging from each support bar betweensaid posts.

[0006] As the fence is preferably formed from an opaque material that isimpervious or semi-impervious to the transmission of wind therethrough,it also functions as a windbreak in addition to providing privacy andsecurity to patrons and their possessions. The fence also improves theoverall appearance of the premises by introducing colour and/or brandinginto the forecourt area.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the cooperating means comprises atleast one elongate slot in each post to receive the end of a supportbar, the bar having a pin thereon which locates against the inside ofthe post adjacent to the slot to prevent lateral movement of the barfrom the slot.

[0008] Preferably, the dimensions of the slot slightly exceed thedimensions of the bar received in the slot to allow a degree of movementof the bar relative to the post.

[0009] The awning is preferably provided with an eyelet at each cornerremote from the bar and the post is provided with attachment meansthereon. Conveniently, a flexible strap or bungee extends between theeyelet and the attachment means to directly attach the awning to thepost providing tension to the awning to maintain a smart presentationand provision for the awning to “spill the wind” in gusty weatherconditions.

[0010] Preferably, the attachment means comprises a ring to which theflexible strap may be hooked or tied, the ring being spaced from thepost and attached thereto by supporting legs.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, a mounting plate is disposed withinthe upper end of post such that the end of a bar inserted in a slotrests on said plate. The plate has a threaded aperture therein.

[0012] Advantageously, a screw cap having a threaded shaft is mounted tothe top of each post, the shaft engaging the threaded aperture in theplate.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a base for eachpost permanently installed in the ground beneath the surface at theinstallation site. Each base conveniently includes a sleeve to receivethe post. A base plate is preferably attached to the sleeve and has anaperture therein for the drainage of water from the sleeve. A secondmounting plate is preferably disposed in the sleeve, the post beingsupported by said mounting plate when inserted in the sleeve. Themounting plate advantageously includes a threaded aperture therein suchthat, when the system is disassembled and the post removed from thesleeve, the screw cap removed from the post can be inserted into thesleeve so that the threaded shaft engages the threaded aperture andseats flush with the forecourt surface thereby sealing the upper end ofthe sleeve.

[0014] In another embodiment, especially when the system is designed tobe left in place overnight, the posts may be permanently fixed inposition via a threaded rod in the bottom of the post that locates inthe threaded aperture in the mounting plate or in a threaded tubeupstanding from the mounting plate.

[0015] In another embodiment, hinge means are mounted to the end of eachbar. Preferably, the hinge means comprises a first hinge leaf rigidlyattached to said bar and a second hinge leaf having an aperture thereinfor attachment of said leaf to the upper end of a post using said screwcap. The hinge leaves are pivotally attached to each other.

[0016] In another embodiment, the post includes an outer section and aninner section slidably received therein. Preferably, the outer sectioncontains a threaded rod in engagement with a threaded aperture in theinner section such that rotation of the inner section moves the innersection up or down the rod and out of or into the outer sectionrespectively providing height adjustment.

[0017] In another embodiment the system includes an above ground basemember, the post being removably mountable on the weighted base member.Conveniently, the base member includes adjustable feet for adjusting theangle and height of the base member above the ground.

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by wayof example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019]FIGS. 1a and 1 b show a front view and a sectional plan view alongthe line A-A of

[0020]FIG. 1a of a portion of the windbreak system respectivelyaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

[0021]FIGS. 2a, 2 b and 2 c show a plan view of the post, the post withtwo awning support bars mounted thereto and the post with the retainingcap mounted thereto, respectively, according to a first embodiment;

[0022]FIGS. 3a, 3 b and 3 c show sectional front views of the upperportion of the post corresponding to the plan views of FIGS. 2a, 2 b and2 c according to a first embodiment;

[0023]FIGS. 4a, 4 b and 4 c show sectional side views of the upperportion of the post illustrated in FIGS. 2a, 2 b and 2 c according to afirst embodiment;

[0024]FIGS. 5a and 5 b show a sectional plan view of a lower portion ofthe post and the post when inserted into the sleeve, respectively and inaccordance with all the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 11;

[0025]FIGS. 6a and 6 b show sectional front views corresponding to thesectional plan views of FIGS. 5a and 5 b in accordance with all theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 11;

[0026]FIG. 7 shows the base following removal of the post, where thescrew cap is inserted flush with the ground level;

[0027]FIGS. 8a, 8 b and 8 c show a plan view of the end of a bar, theplan view of the end of two bars placed one on top of the other on theupper end of a post and a plan view showing the cap in position on topof the post and bars, respectively and in accordance with a secondembodiment;

[0028]FIGS. 9a, 9 b and 9 c shows sectional views of an upper portion ofthe post with one bar attached thereto, with two bars attached theretoand with the screw cap mounted thereon, respectively;

[0029]FIG. 10 illustrates a sectional view through a modified postaccording to the present invention that may be used together with thesystem described with reference to either the first or secondembodiment;

[0030]FIG. 11 illustrates a side sectional view of the modified versionof the post when partially extended;

[0031]FIG. 12 illustrates a further modification for use when basescannot be permanently installed at the installation site or where it ispreferable to use portable bases;

[0032]FIGS. 13a and 13 b illustrate side sectional views of a modifiedversion of the base permanently installed in the forecourt to receive apost as shown in FIG. 13a, and a screw cap when the post has beenremoved, as shown in FIG. 13b;

[0033]FIGS. 14a and 14 b show top plan views of modified versions of thebase for wall mounting rather than surface mounting and FIGS. 14c and 14d show front sectional views of the base shown in FIG. 14a with the postand screw cap mounted therein, respectively;

[0034]FIG. 15 illustrated another modified version of the base formounting in soft ground;

[0035]FIG. 16 illustrates an extractor tool and handle to facilitateremoval of the base shown in FIG. 15 from the ground;

[0036]FIGS. 17a and 17 b illustrate a partial side sectional view and atop plan view respectively of a modification to any of the posts of thepresent invention to assist in their installation, removal and handling;

[0037]FIG. 18a illustrates a partial perspective view of a furthermodified version of the post according to the invention, FIG. 18billustrates a partial side view of a modified version of the awningsupport bar which cooperates with the modified post of FIG. 18a and FIG.18c illustrates a partial side view of the other end of the awningsupport bar;

[0038]FIG. 19a illustrates an exploded cross sectional view of amodified arrangement for the lower part of the post and FIG. 19billustrates a cross sectional assembled view of the lower part of thepost shown in FIG. 19a; and

[0039]FIG. 20 shows another embodiment of post with a removable androtatable head section.

[0040] Although the system is described primarily for installation onthe forecourt of a premises, it will be appreciated that it can be usedto enclose any outdoor seating or assembly area and its flexibilityenables it to be used in for example, shopping malls, pavements or onopen ground.

[0041] A first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 8. This embodiment is the simplest arrangement and is theleast flexible. It is primarily designed for forecourts having a fairlylevel surface, although it does have a degree of flexibility for smallheight variations across the site to accommodate forecourt incline andpitch.

[0042] Referring now to FIG. 1, the system 1 comprises a plurality ofuprights or posts 2 (only two of which are shown) connected by a rigidsupport bar 3 that extends between a pair of posts 2. These componentsmay be made from aluminium alloy or steel, such as 316 marine gradestainless steel. An awning, canvas or banner 4 hangs from the bar 3 andhas an eyelet 5 adjacent to each corner remote from the bar 3 to enableit to be attached to the post 2 by a flexible strap or bungee 6. Eachpost 2 is received in a base 7 cemented into the forecourt 8 so that nopart of the base 7 protrudes from the upper surface 9 of the forecourtwhen the post 2 is removed therefrom. Instead of a canvas material, theawning may be formed from reinforced polyester sheet. Irrespective ofthe material from which it is made, the awning can be digitally printedwith images or branding.

[0043] Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, it can be seen that the post 2 istubular and has up to four identical elongate slots 10 spaced at 90degree increments, 60 degree increments or as required, cut into theupper end 11 b of the post 2 and that extend parallel to the axis of thepost 2. The slots 10 terminate at a mounting plate 11 a permanentlyfixed within the post 2 at a depth from the upper end 11 b that isslightly greater than the height of a support bar 3. Each slot 10 isalso slightly wider than the thickness of the bar 3 for reasons thatwill become apparent. Gaskets are inserted into the slots to reduce windvibration and/or electrolytic action caused when the posts and bars aremanufactured from different metals. The mounting plate 11 a has anaperture 12 therein which is coaxial with the tubular post 2 and acaptive nut 13 is attached to the underside of the plate 11 b forreasons that will also become clear. Instead of a captive nut 13, theaperture 12 may be threaded or, a threaded tube may upstand from themounting plate 11 a.

[0044] A pin 14 protrudes from either side of the bar adjacent to eachof its ends, as most clearly seen in FIG. 3b, so that when the end of abar 3 is inserted downwardly into one of the slots 10 from the upper end11 b of the post 2 into contact with the mounting plate 11 a, the pin 14engages the inner wall of the post 2 and prevents lateral withdrawal ofthe bar 3 from the slot 10.

[0045] To secure the or each bar 3 in position in a slot 10 in the post2 and prevent it from being lifted out of the post 2, a cap 15 having athreaded shaft 16 is fitted to the upper end 11 b of the post 2. Thethreaded shaft 16 has sufficient length so that it passes through theaperture 12 in the mounting plate 11 a and threadingly engages with thecaptive nut 13. If a tube upstands from the mounting plate 11 a, thenthe threaded shaft engages with the thread in the captive nut 13 afterhaving first being passed through the tube. Alternatively, the threadedshaft engages with a threaded aperture in the mounting plate 11 a ratherthan with a captive nut 13. The cap 15 is sized so as to completelycover the upper open end 11 b of the post 2 and so retains the or eachbar 3 in position in its respective slot 10. The cap 15 is provided withrecesses (not shown) in its upper surface for insertion of a tool toenable it to be tightened when fixed to the upper end of the post or, inthe sleeve when the post is removed.

[0046] As the width of each slot 10 is slightly greater than thethickness of the bar 3, and the depth of the slot 10 slightly greaterthan the height of the bar 3, the bar 3 has a small degree of lateraland radial movement in the slot 10, as demonstrated by arrows X and Yrespectively, in FIGS. 2c and 3 c.

[0047] A modified version of the post and awning support bar is shown inFIGS. 18a to 18 c. In this embodiment, the post 100 is provided with anumber of closed elongate openings 101 located at radially spaced apartpositions around the circumference of the post 100 a short distance fromthe upper end 102 thereof. In a preferred post design, there a fiveopenings 101 evenly spaced around the post 100. The post 100 is providedfor use with a modified support bar 103 illustrated in FIGS. 18b and 18c. The support bar 103 is integrally formed with a hook part 104 at oneend (FIG. 18b). The other end of the bar 103 (FIG. 18c) narrows to forma locating tab 106. The tab 106 has a small notch 107 on its lower edgefor reasons that will be explained. As described with reference to theearlier embodiment, a cap 15 is attachable to the top of the posts 100to prevent the bar 103 from being removed from the post 100 until thecap 15 has been unscrewed. As the construction and means of attachmentof the cap 15 is the same as described for the earlier embodiment, ithas not been described or illustrated again in connection with thismodified arrangement.

[0048] To attach the bar 103 between a pair of posts 100, the tab 106 isinserted, in a radial direction relative to the axis of the post 100,into an opening 101 in a post 100 so that it is fully received in theopening 101. The hooked part 104 may now be inserted into an opening 101in the other post 100. As the hooked part 104 is inserted, the tab 106is partially withdrawn from its post 100 so that the notch 107 locatesagainst the lower edge 105 of the opening 101. Once the hook part 104has been inserted, release of the bar 103 causes it to drop so that thehook 104 engages the lower edge 105 of the opening to retain the bar 103on the post 100. The cap 15 is then attached to the top of each post 100to retain the bar 103 in position. Removal of the bar 103 from the post100 can simply be achieved by first removing the cap 15 from each post100 and by then lifting the bar 103 slightly at each end so that thehook 104 clears the edge 105 on one post 100 and the notch 107 clearsthe edge 105 on the other post 100 and withdrawing the bar 103, in aradial direction relative to the axis of the posts, from the opening101.

[0049] In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 20, the openings 101are formed in a separate detachable or head part 120 of the post 100. Inthis construction, the head 120 is provided with a plate 121 having anopening 122 therein to receive an upstanding boss 123 on the upper edge124 of the post 100. A thread 125 passes through the boss 125 to enablethe cap 15 to be used to attach the head 120 to the post 100 as well asretain the support bars 103 in the openings 101. The head 120 is free torotate relative to the post 100 when the cap is removed or loosened.

[0050] A lower portion of one of the posts 2, 100 is shown in FIGS. 5and 6. Three angled legs 16 extend outwardly from the post 2 and a ring16 a connects each of the legs 16 together. The ring 16 a provides anattachment point for a bungee 6 that has been passed through an eyelet 5in the awning 4. The angled legs 16 are welded to the post 2 and thering 16 a is welded to each leg 16.

[0051] A modified version of the post 2 is shown in FIGS. 19a and 19 b.In this arrangement, a plate 110 is received within the post 111. Theplate 110 has three radially spaced apertures 112 (two of which areshown in FIG. 19a) formed therein and a central threaded aperture 113 bywhich the post may be attached to a base (not shown). The apertures 112can be aligned with three corresponding holes 114 in the post 111. Thelegs 115 extend at right angles from the post 111 and are separate fromthe ring 116 (not shown in FIG. 19a). To assemble the post 111, theplate 110 is inserted into the post 111 and the legs 115 are insertedthrough the holes 114 in the post 111 and into the apertures 112 in theplate 110. To retain the legs 115 in position in the post 111 andapertures 112, the ring 116 is now attached to the legs 115 protrudingfrom the post 111 by welding. This holds the plate 110 in positionwithin the post 111. This arrangement provides a more positiveconnection of the post 111 to the base via the plate 110 and avoidsstresses being placed on welds which would occur if the plate 110 waswelded to the post 111.

[0052] The post 2 is removably mounted in the base 7 permanentlyinstalled in the forecourt. The base 7 comprises a tubular sleeve 18having an inner diameter that is slightly greater than the outerdiameter of the post 2 so that the post 2 is a sliding fit within thesleeve 18. A second mounting plate 19, similar to the mounting plate 11a within the post 2 is attached within the sleeve 18 at a depth withinthe sleeve 18 which is equal to the depth of the mounting plate 11 afrom the upper end 11 b of the post 2. A second captive nut 20 isattached to the underside of the second mounting plate 19. As with thefirst mounting plate 11 a, the second plate 19 can be provided with athreaded plate, instead of a captive nut 20, and a tube 65 (not shown inFIG. 6) upstanding therefrom for retaining the cap 15 at an appropriatelevel when it is locked in position within the sleeve 18 (i.e. so thatits upper surface is flush with the level of the ground in which it ismounted). The tube also serves to stiffen the shaft 16 of the cap toprevent inadvertent removal of the cap due to vehicles or other trafficpassing over it. The sleeve 18 is mounted on a base plate 21 that has anaperture 22 therein coaxial with the axis of the sleeve 18 that acts asa drain hole to prevent the sleeve from filling with rainwater. Thesleeve 18 together with the plate 21 is mounted in a concrete footing 23in the surface 9 of the forecourt so that it is completely flushtherewith. The concrete footing 23 has a conduit 24 therein beneath andin communication with the aperture 22 so that water passing through theaperture 22 is drained out of the footing 23 and into the surroundingground.

[0053]FIG. 7 illustrates the base 7 when the fence is not in use and thepost 2 has been removed from the sleeve 18. The open end of the sleeve18 is concealed by re-inserting the screw cap 15 flush with the uppersurface 9 of the forecourt, which has been removed from the upper end 11b of the post 2, in the sleeve 18. The shaft 16 threadingly engages withthe second captive nut 20, or a threaded aperture in the mounting plate19 to retain the cap 15 in place in the sleeve 18.

[0054] Assembly of the fencing system will now be described. Firstly,the cap 15 is removed from the sleeve 18 in each base 7 by unscrewing itfrom the captive nut 20 by means of a tool. The bottom of a post 2 isthen inserted in each sleeve 18 so that it rests on the second mountingplate 19. In an alternative arrangement, a threaded rod may protrudefrom the lower end of the post 2 for engagement with the second captivenut 20 or threaded aperture in the second mounting plate 19. A bar 3,from which the canopy or awning 4 is attached, either by inserting thebar 3 through a seam in the awning 4 or by some other means, is thenmounted between two posts 2 by inserting either end into a slot 10 ineach of two spaced posts 2. A screw cap 15, removed from a sleeve 18, isthen attached to the upper end of each post 2 to retain the bar 3 inplace. A bungee or flexible strap 6 is then tied between the eyelet 5and the ring 16 on each post 2. Disassembly of the fencing system is thereverse of the assembly.

[0055] A second embodiment of the fencing system will now be describedwith reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. This system is intended for use onsites having inclined forecourts and is more flexible than the systemdescribed with reference to the first embodiment. The construction ofthis embodiment is identical to that of the first in every respect,apart from the ends of the bars 3 and the upper portion of the posts 2that provides a different means of attachment of a bar to the post. Forthe avoidance of doubt, those features which are the same as those inthe first embodiment will not be described again.

[0056] As will be apparent from the drawings, a hinge 30 is attached tothe end of each bar 3. The hinge 30 comprises a first hinge leaf 31rigidly mounted to the end of a bar 3 by means of nuts 31 a. The secondhinge leaf 32 is pivotally connected to the first hinge leaf 32 forrotation about an axis 33. The upper end of the post 2 is closed by aplate 34 and has an aperture therein with a captive nut 35 attachedthereto coaxial with the aperture and the post 2. The hinge leaf 32 alsohas an aperture therein so that when it is positioned on the upper endof a post, the threaded shaft 16 of a cap 15 may be inserted through theaperture and threadingly engaged with the captive nut 35 to attach thebar 3 to the post 2. As shown in FIGS. 8b and 9 b, two bars may beattached to the same post by placing the hinge leaf 32 of one bar 3 ontop of the hinge leaf 32 of another bar 3 and inserting the threadedshaft 16 through the apertures in both hinge leaves 32. It will beappreciated that a bar 3 can be rotated about 360 degrees about the axisof the post 2 and so can be oriented in any desired position. If twobars are attached to the same post 2, one bar may be rotatedapproximately 280 degrees about the post axis relative to the other bar3, as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 8c. It will also be understood thateach bar can pivot about axis 33 as shown by arrow B in FIG. 9c, so thatit can be oriented at an angle which is greater or less than 90 degreesrelative to the axis of the post 2.

[0057] It will be appreciated that the second embodiment provides a moreflexible arrangement as the bars 3 are not constrained in slots in thepost 2 and are free to rotate about both the axis of the post 2 and thepivot axis 33. It will also be appreciated that the same cap 15, asdescribed with reference to the first embodiment, is used and so canstill be placed in the sleeve 18 in the base 7 to conceal it when thepost is removed therefrom.

[0058] A third modified embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. This embodiment issubstantially the same as the second embodiment described above exceptthat the posts are telescopic giving the most flexible system. Thetelescopic posts of this embodiment can also be used in conjunction withany embodiments of the invention.

[0059] The post 40 comprises an inner portion 41 telescopically receivedwithin an outer portion 42. The outer portion 42 contains a threaded rod43 which is coaxial with the axis of the inner and outer portions 41, 42of the post 40. The lower end 44 of the rod 43 is attached to a plate 45mounted within the post 40. The inner portion 41 of the post has abottom wall 46 having an aperture therein and a captive nut 47 attachedthereto to threadingly engage the rod 43. It will therefore beappreciated that when the inner portion 41 is rotated, it slidesupwardly or downwardly within the outer portion 42. An end cap 48 ismounted to the top end 49 of the rod to prevent the inner portion fromcompletely unscrewing and coming away from the rod 43.

[0060] A fourth modified embodiment of the present invention will now bedescribed with reference to FIG. 12. This embodiment can be used inconjunction with any of the previously described embodiments and is usedin situations where it is not possible to permanently sink bases 7 intothe ground at the installation site.

[0061] As can be seen from FIG. 12, instead of inserting the post intothe sleeve 18, it is attached to a dished base member 50 which tests onthe surface 9 and is unattached to the ground. The base member 50 has acentral upstanding threaded rod 51 which threadingly engages with athreaded socket coaxial with the axis of the post 40. The top of thethreaded socket retains the bottom of the threaded rod 43. In thisembodiment, the ring 16 a is welded to the post 40 lower down itslength. The base member 50 is provided with feet 53 which threadinglyengage in captive nuts 54 in the underside of the base member 50. Theheight and tilt angle of the base member 50 may be adjusted by means ofthe feet 53. To prevent the base from moving or the post from topplingover in strong winds, it is filled with lead or steel to weigh it down.In addition, the flexible straps or bungees that attach the awning 4 tothe rings 16 a on the post 2,40 allow the awning to ‘give’ and thereby‘spill the wind’ in windy conditions. The tension provided to the canvasby the bungee straps prevent the canvas from being lifted easily toguard against property being stolen by reaching through the fencingsystem. The bungees also provide the fabric with more “give” and so willhelp prevent injury to persons who might fall into canvas, as well asprevent damage to the components of the fencing system.

[0062] A modified version of the base 7 illustrated in FIG. 7 is shownin FIGS. 13a and 13 b. This version is simpler to install because itdoes not require a concrete footing in which to mount the sleeve 18.Instead, a sleeve plug 60 is located in a core drilled hole directly cutinto the substrate. As with the sleeve 18, the upper end of the sleeveplug 60 includes a mounting plate 61 having an aperture therein and acaptive nut 62 attached to its underside to receive the shaft 16 of ascrew cap 15 when the post is removed from the sleeve plug 60 to closethe open upper end of the sleeve plug 60. It will be appreciated thatthis embodiment can also be used where a dwarf wall already exists. Thesleeve plug 60 may be mounted in core drilled holes cut into the top ofthe dwarf wall. In this variation, shorter posts may be provided.

[0063] In some installation sites it may be necessary to mount one ormore posts close to the outer wall of the premises. In this situation,the construction of a base beneath the forecourt surface such as thoseillustrated in FIG. 7 or FIG. 13, or the use of a freestanding base suchas that illustrated in FIG. 12, may not be possible due to the proximitywith the premises. A wall mountable base such as those illustrated inFIGS. 14a to 14 d may therefore be used. As can be seen from theFigures, the wall mounted bases include a sleeve 63 which is similar tothe sleeve 18 described with reference to FIG. 6 and has a mountingplate 64 with a threaded tube 65 upstanding therefrom to receive eithera threaded rod protruding from a post or the threaded shaft 16 of ascrew cap 15. However, instead of being sunken beneath the forecourt,these sleeves 63 are attached to mounting brackets 66 to enable thesleeve 63 to be mounted on the outer wall of the premises or any othervertical mounting surface. The mounting brackets 66 may be formed as aflat plate for mounting on a flat wall surface. Alternatively, an angledbracket may be used for corner mounting. Each mounting plate 66 isprovided with holes 67 to enable screw mounting of the sleeves 63 to thewall. It will be appreciated that in a fencing system, the wall mountingbases can be used in conjunction with any of the other mounting meansdescribed herein to affix the posts 2 in position.

[0064]FIG. 15 illustrates a further type of base. In this embodiment,the base 68 includes a sleeve 69 that is identical to the sleeve 63 ofthe embodiments described with reference to FIG. 14. However, the sleeve69 is mounted on an elongate spike 70 to enable the base 68 to be firmlymounted in soft ground, such as grass. The spike can have a number ofconfigurations but, in the present embodiment, it has a “X” shaped crosssection with a pointed tip portion 71 for ease of ground penetration andground retention.

[0065] To facilitate removal of the spike, an extractor tool and handle,illustrated in FIGS. 16a and 16 b, are provided. The extractor tool 72is similar to the screw cap 15, in that it has a threaded shaft 16 forengagement with the threaded tube 65 attached to the mounting plate 61,except that the head 73 is thicker and has a cylindrical aperture 74extending therethrough. The handle 75 comprises a pair of elongatehandle portions 76 a,76 b and an elongate threaded rod 77 extending fromone end of one of the handle portions 76 a. The other handle portion 76b has a threaded hole 79 therein for engagement with the rod 77.

[0066] Use of the extractor tool 72 and handle 75 to remove the base 68from the ground will now be explained. The threaded shaft 16 of theextractor is threadingly engaged with the threaded tube 65 upstandingfrom the mounting plate 64. Next, the elongate threaded rod 77 isinserted through the aperture 74 in the head 73. The other handleportion 76 b is then connected to the rod 77 protruding from theaperture 74. The handle portions 76 can then be used to apply leverageto the base 68 to facilitate its removal from the ground.

[0067] A modification to any of the posts according to the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 17a and 17 b, in which only part of the post isshown. The post 80 has a sleeve 81 mounted within it and extendingacross its diameter. An aperture 82 is formed in the post at either endof the sleeve 81. The sleeve 81 permits insertion of the rod 77 of thehandle 75 described with reference to FIG. 16b to enable the post 80which is threadingly engaged with a base to be tightened or loosened byrotating the post 80 via the handle 75. Alternatively, the handle 75 canbe inserted in the sleeve 81 to assist in pulling the post 80 out of thebase in which it is mounted and to enable the post 80 to be carriedeasily or, alternatively, to enable the post to be moved whilstremaining connected to a weighted freestanding base.

[0068] It will be appreciated that the fencing system of the inventioncan be developed so as to form the walls of a conservatory typeconstruction. This would require posts of considerably greater height.In this case, bracing bars may be fitted between the posts between thecanvas support bar 3 and the bases. These would releasably co-operatewith the posts. In addition to providing more rigidity to the system,they would also help to brace the canvas to prevent billowing.

[0069] It is also envisaged that the embodiments could be modified toinclude a cooling system. For example, a microprocessor may be concealedwithin the posts to control a flow of water to the awnings or panelsattached to them. Alternatively, the posts may be heated or have heatersattached to them. Finally, the awnings may be formed from sound negatingmaterial or panels and the posts may have sensors within them to detectambient noise. A microprocessor may then be employed to generate a soundthrough loudspeakers to cancel the ambient noise.

[0070] It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that theembodiments of the invention provide a flexible, easy to erect,dismantle, store and maintain system for enclosing a space in thevicinity of a restaurant, cafe or bar or outdoor event.

[0071] It will be understood that there will be many modifications oralterations to the preferred embodiments but which have not beendescribed. However, these are also considered to fall within the scopeof the invention.

1-24. (Cancelled)
 25. A fencing system for enclosing an outdoor seatingor assembly area, the fencing system comprising: a plurality of posts; aplurality of awning support bars, each awning support bar extendablebetween a pair of the plurality of posts when the fencing system iserected, the posts and bars including co-operating means thereon forreleasable attachment of the bars to the posts, the co-operating meansincluding: a mounting plate on each post; and each end of a support baris located on the mounting plate of an adjacent post so that the supportbar extends adjacent posts; an awning hangable from each support barbetween said posts; and a cap associated with each post, the cap beingthreadingly engageable with the mounting plate to prevent removal ofeach end of the support bars from the mounting plate on which it islocated when the system is erected.
 26. A fencing system according toclaim 25, wherein the cooperating means further comprises at least oneelongate slot in each post.
 27. A fencing system according to claim 26,wherein each elongate slot extends axially from the open upper end ofthe post to receive the end of a support bar therein.
 28. A fencingsystem according to claim 27, wherein the mounting plate is locatedwithin the post spaced a distance from an open upper end of the post sothat the end of a support bar rests on the mounting plate when the endof the support bar is inserted into the elongated slot.
 29. A fencingsystem according to claim 28, wherein each elongate slot is larger thanthe support bar so that the support bar has a degree of freedom ofmovement within the elongate slot.
 30. A fencing system according toclaim 29, wherein each end of each support bar has a pin extendingtherefrom, each pin extending substantially at right angles to theelongate slot when the support bar is received in the elongate slot toprevent lateral movement of the support bar out of the elongate slot.31. A fencing system according to claim 1, wherein the support barincludes hinge means operatively connected to each end thereof.
 32. Afencing system according to claim 31, wherein the hinge means comprises:a first hinge leaf operatively connected to the end of the support bar;and a second hinge leaf, pivotable with respect to the first hinge leaf,operatively connectable to the mounting plate of the support post.
 33. Afencing system according to claim 32, wherein the second hinge leaf hasan aperture therein through which the cap extends to threadingly engagethe cap to the mounting plate.
 34. A fencing system according to claim1, wherein the cap has a threaded shaft for engagement with the mountingplate.
 35. A fencing system according to claim 34, wherein the mountingplate has a threaded hole for cooperation with the threaded shaft of thecap, the threaded hole being coaxial with a longitudinal axis of thepost.
 36. A fencing system according to claim 1, wherein: the awning isprovided with an eyelet at each corner thereof, remote from the bar whenthe awning is hanging on the support bar; and the post is provided withattachment means for attaching the awning to the post.
 37. A fencingsystem according to claim 36, wherein a flexible strap or bungee extendsbetween the eyelet and the attachment means to directly attach theawning to the post.
 38. A fencing system according to claim 37, whereinthe attachment means comprises a ring to which the flexible strap may besecured, the ring being spaced from the post and attached thereto bysupporting legs.
 39. A fencing system according to claim 1, wherein thesystem includes a base for each post permanently installed in the groundbeneath the surface at the installation site, each base including asleeve to receive a post therein.
 40. A fencing system according toclaim 39, wherein a base plate is attached to the sleeve and has anaperture therein for the drainage of water from the sleeve.
 41. Afencing system according to claim 40, wherein a second mounting plate isdisposed in the sleeve, the post being supported by the second mountingplate when inserted in the sleeve.
 42. A fencing system according toclaim 41, wherein the second mounting plate includes a threaded aperturetherein such that, when the system is disassembled and the post removedfrom the sleeve, the screw cap removed from the post may be insertedinto the sleeve so that the threaded shaft engages the threaded apertureand seats flush with the ground surface thereby sealing an upper end ofthe sleeve.
 43. A fencing system according to claim 42, wherein theposts include a threaded rod for engagement with the threaded aperturein the second mounting plate to retain the post in the sleeve.
 44. Afencing system according to claim 43, wherein a tube is attached to themounting plate and upstands therefrom, the tube having a through holetherein arranged coaxial with the aperture in the mounting plate.
 45. Afencing system according to claim 1, wherein the post includes an outersection and an inner section slidably received in the outer section. 46.A fencing system according to claim 45, wherein the outer sectioncontains a threaded rod for engagement with a threaded aperture in theinner section such that rotation of the inner section, relative to theouter section, axially moves the inner section relative to the outersection providing each post with height adjustment.
 47. A fencing systemaccording to claim 1, comprising a surface mounted weighted base, thepost being removably mountable on the weighted base.
 48. A fencingsystem according to claim 47, wherein the weighted base includesadjustable feet for adjusting the angle and height of the weighted baseabove the ground.